SSoM Eberron Campaign Notes - Meepites stay out!

Here you go, Vyreth. All for your heart's content.

Here's the deal in a nutshell:

This campaign is a secondary (or tertiary) campaign for when Alpha can't be run. As Alpha continues in complexity, it's harder and harder to do stuff without all 6 Meepites at the ready, not to mention the increasing amount of prep time as we approach level 26 and higher.

When we can't run Alpha, we punt and do one of the following:
- Barakus (run by Scorch. His DM notes can be found at the Necromancer Games forums)
- Eberron (run by me!)
- Mutants and Masterminds (done once or twice. WizarDru has the new edition and is anxious to lay down the super-smack)
- Board game night
- None of the above (and my wife gets to see me on a Friday night)

The Eberron campaign as of yet doesn't have a title or a theme. As a winding, threaded campaign, I'm winging it, and tossing out some hooks and will develop based on how that works out. The base material I'm using is the published WotC materials, plus some Dungeon Magazine materials.

Ground rules: All Eberron materials are allowed, and anything in a 3.5E WotC hardback book is open for negotiation. New infusions from new sources will require spellcraft rolls to add to an artificer's spell-pool. I'd consider doing the same for other casters...but we don't have any. It's an odd group.

I'm planning on throttling back xp a bit, as Eberron seems to prefer a lower-level campaign, and I don't have any published materials above levels 6-8. So far, that hasn't worked out, but now that the group is level 3, I intend to enforce this a bit more.

I don't have my campaign notes in front of me, and I'm still learning the character names, too, so bear with me. Here are the Meepites in Eberron form:

Kayleigh plays Lanatash, a Kalashtar Soul-Knife
Aethramyr plays Kaisha Starfall, elven psion, and student at Morgrave University
WizarDru plays Kimberlite Cleverforge, dwarven articer, DragonMarked scion of House Kundarak, who emigrated from the Mror Holds
Bolo plays Vigil, Warforged Paladin of the Silver Flame. Vigil was a prototype warforged which didn't become functional during design, but spontaneously awoke a few months ago. He works for Kimberlite
Valanthe plays Sara, half-elf bard, a DragonMarked scion of House Medani
Scorch plays Sammael, a human rogue, veteran of the wars, where he was a forward scout and reconn expert.
OldSchool has shown up for one session, and plays an elven cleric of the Undying Courts.

Bolo and OldSchool are level 2, everyone else just tipped into level 3 this past session.

More soon.

We started the campaign with The Forgotten Forge, located at the back of the ECS.

I struggled to come up with some method of plausibly tying everyone together, and used a tactic I've done in the past: I told them that they had to have some form of tie with the Sharn Watch/militia.

Kimberlite has performed artificer tasks for them on a contractor basis (with Vigil along for the ride)
Sammael has done the same as an investigator
Lanatash has maintained close ties with the Watch in an effort to protect the Kalashtar community from Quori-based problems.
Sara...Sara didn't give me anything, so I came up with one for her: penance for inciting a riot with an inappropriate song in an inappropriate place.
Kaisha has gotten into minor trouble, and therefore knows some in the watch, but is otherwise a good kid.

The captain of the local Watch is using them as a strike-force, on an as-needed basis. They have an excellent mix of abilities and talents, and they can think on their feet during an investigation. They may also be used from time to time to shore up the regular Watch when all hands are needed.

The Watch takes 10% of any loot they recover while performing their duties.

Sounds good so far! What's next for our heroes? Are you working them through another module, or are you creating your own? Anything specific I can contribute?

LordVyreth said:

Sounds good so far! What's next for our heroes? Are you working them through another module, or are you creating your own? Anything specific I can contribute?

Click to expand...

They finished Forgotten Forge, and are now in Shadows of the Lost War. They are currently in the middle of a dungeon-crawl in the Mournlands

I could use a freaky-deaky, Mournlands encounter to spice up their trip home =)

dravot said:

I could use a freaky-deaky, Mournlands encounter to spice up their trip home =)

Click to expand...

It sounds like you are in need of the infamous 1001 Mournland Horrors' service! A constant work in progress, it approaches the 600 mark filled with interesting facts and horrifying details about what the Mournlands is really like. Parties have been heard to swear blood oaths never to return! Satisfaction garunteed, or we'll point you in the right direction to get something with more subtance.

Well, I'll start things off with some pre-made stuff, and hopefully get you something new by tomorrow or Thursday. Unfortunately, most of the monsters I made so far are mid to high level. My lowest outsider, for example, is a CR 6, though if you want I can toss it your way as a decent "boss" monster. It is pretty freaky; it's one of the many monsters I used as a video game idea initially, and hailed from a race of psychotic pseudo-outsiders from a physical underworld.

For now, though, I'll give you a CR 3 underwater undead and its associated template. I heard Dru was planning on using it for that fairly recent underwater dungeon for the Meepites, though presumably w/ templates and advancements up the wazoo. Later tonight, I'll get you a whole mess of monsters and the rules for their collective powers that I adapted from the video game Eternal Darkness.

Sunken
Medium Size Undead (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 3d12 (19 hp)
Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares,) Swim 40 feet.
AC: 16 (+3 natural, +2 Dex, +1 deflection,) touch 13, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
Attack: Bite +3 Melee (1d8+1 and steal breath,)
Full Attack: Bite +3 Melee (1d8+1 and steal breath,) 2 Claws +1 melee (1d4 and steal breath)
SA: Geyser, Steal Breath, Create Spawn
SQ: Undead, +2 Turn Resistance, Aquatic Barrier
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 15, Con –
Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +6, Survival +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Search +5, Spot +6, Swim +15*
Feats: Multiattack, Weapon Finesse(Bite)
Climate/Terrain: Any Aquatic
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4) or pack (3-4 plus 7-12 lacedons)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium,) 7-12 (Large)

Sunken are the hateful undead that are spawned from those who were intentionally drowned, or drowned during a particularly brutal attack. They have taken on the water that killed them as a shield and weapon and now travel underwater, looking for living, breathing beings. They hate all life and wish to destroy it but especially hate creatures that breathe air.

Sunken look like humans, but their skin is rotting and bloated as a result of their death. At some places, their bodies are covered with the natural vegetation found underwater, and other parts are made up of a rippling “skin” made out of the water itself.

Combat:
Sunken like to use their Geyser power on enemies near the water or leap out of the water and try to force their enemies into it. They usually retreat into the water after using their Geyser power or to finish off an enemy that fell in.

Steal Breath (Su): If a Sunken hits with a bite or claw attack, the victim must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 14, based on Charisma) or have all the air in their lungs sucked out of them. On land, this means the victim is either stunned for a round as they get air back into their lungs, or they can choose to ignore it and make a Constitution check, but risk falling unconscious if it fails. If in the water, the character must make Constitution checks to stay conscious until they can reach air again, and runs the risk of drowning if they fall unconscious while underwater.
Geyser(Su): A Sunken can create a geyser as a standard action. To do so, it lunges at the ground somewhere within 10 feet, and suddenly pumps all the water in its body out, creating a water jet upwards. Anyone in the five-foot square of the geyser has to make a Reflex save (DC 13, based on Dexterity) or take 1d6 points of subdual damage and be knocked 20 feet into the air. They can make another Reflex save at the same DC to chose where they want to land from anywhere within five feet of their starting position. If they land on the ground, they take falling damage as normal. After using this power, the Sunken can’t use a geyser again until it spends 1d4 rounds in the water, and it loses the deflection bonus to its AC.
Aquatic Barrier (Su): A sunken gets a deflection bonus to AC equal to its CR divided by 3. However, this bonus disappears after using the Geyser attack until it spends 1d4 rounds submersed in water or some other liquid.
Create Spawn(Su): If the sunken kills a creature with four or more hit dice by drowning it and chooses not to devour it, it will rise in 1d4 days as Sunken themselves. Creatures with less than 4 hit dice rise as lacedons (undewater ghouls,) instead. Casting protection from evil on the body will avert the transformation, as will leaving the body on dry land for that time.
*Sunken have a +8 bonus to Swim checks.


Sunken Template

“Sunken” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature of 4 or more hit die, except constructs, oozes, plants and undead. Creatures with this template have their type changed to undead. They also gain the aquatic sub-type.
Hit Dice: Change to d12.
Speed: As base creature, but add a Swim speed equal to the creature’s land speed plus +10 ft., or 40 ft. if the creature doesn’t have a land speed. If the creature already has a faster swim speed, keep the base speed.
AC: The creature’s natural armor bonus increases by +1.
Attacks: The creature gains a bite and two claw attacks if it doesn’t already have them. Damage is based on the table below, or on the base creature if it already does more damage with these attacks.

Size Bite Damage Claw Damage
Fine 1d2 1
Diminutive 1d3 1
Tiny 1d4 1d2
Small 1d6 1d3
Medium 1d8 1d4
Large 2d6 1d6
Huge 2d8 1d8
Gargantuan 4d6 2d6
Colossal 4d8 2d8

Special Attacks:

Steal Breath(Su): If a Sunken hits with a bite or claw attack, the victim must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ HD + Charisma) or have all the air in their lungs sucked out of them. On land, this means the victim is either stunned for a round as they get air back into their lungs, or they can choose to ignore it and make a Constitution check, but risk falling unconscious if it fails. If in the water, the character must make Constitution checks to stay conscious until they can reach air again, and runs the risk of drowning if they fall unconscious while underwater.
Geyser(Su): A Sunken can create a geyser as a standard action. To do so, it lunges at the ground somewhere within 10 feet, and suddenly pumps all the water in its body out, creating a water jet upwards. Anyone in the five-foot square of the geyser has to make a Reflex save (DC 13, based on Dexterity) or take 1d6 points of subdual damage and be knocked 20 feet into the air. They can make another Reflex save at the same DC to chose where they want to land from anywhere within five feet of their starting position. If they land on the ground, they take falling damage as normal. After using this power, the Sunken can’t use a geyser again until it spends 1d4 rounds in the water, and it loses the deflection bonus to its AC.
Special Qualities: Sunken get undead traits and a +2 turn resistance, and the following other special qualities.

Aquatic Barrier (Su): A sunken gets a deflection bonus to AC equal to its CR divided by 3. However, this bonus disappears after using the Geyser attack until it spends 1d4 rounds submersed in water or some other liquid.
Create Spawn(Su): If the sunken kills a creature with four or more hit dice by drowning it and chooses not to devour it, it will rise in 1d4 days as Sunken themselves. Creatures with less than 4 hit dice rise as lacedons (undewater ghouls,) instead. Casting protection from evil on the body will avert the transformation, as will leaving the body on dry land for that time.

Saves: Same as the Base Creature.
Abilities: Increase from base creature as follows: +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +4 Wisdom, +6 Charisma. Being undead, the creature has no Constitution score.
Skills: Same as Base Creature, except the Sunken has a +8 to Swim checks.
Feats: Same as Base Creature.
Climate/Terrain: Any Aquatic
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4) or pack (3-4 plus 7-12 lacedons)
Challenge Rating: Same as Base Creature +2
Treasure: Same as Base Creature.
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: Same as Base Creature.

Solarious said:

It sounds like you are in need of the infamous 1001 Mournland Horrors' service! A constant work in progress, it approaches the 600 mark filled with interesting facts and horrifying details about what the Mournlands is really like. Parties have been heard to swear blood oaths never to return! Satisfaction garunteed, or we'll point you in the right direction to get something with more subtance.

Click to expand...

I haven't seen that thread since it was at about 160 horrors or so. Thanks for reminding me that it was there.

Their trip across the Mournlands consisted of the following encounters:

A carcass crab - which they avoided
A patrol of 30 warforged - which they avoided
A small village, which was missing the top half (everything above 3' exactly was missing) - which they avoided
Blood rain - which they avoided
A farm with the sounds of normal farm, but no people or animals present - just the sounds. They used the barn to avoid the blood rain. When farmer Jones's voice came in to milk the 'cows', they bugged out and left.

Vyreth: this gives me an idea, very Mournlandy - They'll find themselves in a space where underwater life co-exists simultaneously with them. Think of it as an ethereal water plane. The Sunken will be there, and I'll do something along the lines of a touch attack on someone brings them into the ethereal water plane for 1d4 rounds - not long enough to drown anyone, but long enough to seriously inconvenience them. Standard non-corporeal rules will apply.

Hrm...I may need to refine this a bit.

Suggestions?

I have one other idea that I want to try out, meant as more of a role-playing exercise and fun encounter without the risk of combat. Group needs to make a will save (I'm thinking something like DC 18 or so...it's meant to be hard to make at their level). Anyone who fails becomes possessed by a member of a band of Thrane soldiers. I'll have some pertinent details prepared about each soldier. What I need more than anything else is some form of simple mechanic to break the effect, something like taking damage or the like. Suggestions? Appropriate 3.5E spells will also work, but I want something else in case those avenues aren't available.

You've got some neat ideas so far. I imagine running a Mournlands game could be very interesting. I'm actually planning on putting a similar dungeon called the Gates of Madness in my next campaign. It's a standard Underdark-style dungeon, except there's a gate to the Far Realms located at the bottom which has an increasing influence deeper and deeper into the dungeon. So as one gets farther in, it becomes increasingly nightmarish and not ground in the rules of reality. It also becomes an easy excuse to toss in some typically 1Eish surreal dungeon trappings! So far, I've only got a few ideas for what they could see, and they're mostly restricted to stuff appropriate to the upper layers. For example, someone's waterskin spontaneously turns it contents to blood or some other fluid. Or a door could respond to the party's attempts to open it. It could scream in pain if they try to bash it down, for example.

The Thrane thing is interesting, but I think I need some more details about what you plan on doing with it. Will the Thranians be generally willing to help the party? Will you be playing them if they possess the party members, or will you expect the players to do it? Will they have any control over their possessed bodies normally?

Well, the easiest way to overcome possession is simple: leave the Mournlands. A more complicated example would be treating it as a typical ghost story: the possessions are sporadic but won't end unless the spirits are put to rest. This could be as simple as retrieving their bodies and burying them at their homeland (though even that could be made complicated if they have to use the clues the possessing Thranes give to help them find their specific bodies,) or killing the monster they were fighting at the time of death, or it could be a more personal issue, and the possessed Thranes have to look at their own emotional unrest and why they can't leave this world. I don't suppose you ever saw that Buffy episode where Buffy and Angel get possessed by ghosts who were killed in a murder-suicide?

LordVyreth said:

The Thrane thing is interesting, but I think I need some more details about what you plan on doing with it. Will the Thranians be generally willing to help the party? Will you be playing them if they possess the party members, or will you expect the players to do it? Will they have any control over their possessed bodies normally?

Click to expand...

I'm still toying with the notion, and what I want from it. The main point is to show (YET AGAIN! ) how spooky the Mournlands is. The vehicle is to have them role-play as different people, for a brief while, without knowing how long they'll be 'trapped', or how to get out of the situation.

One thing that I was thinking of doing was making the effect a dream effect, of which the Kalashtar and the Warforged are immune (via racial traits). That guarantees some sanity, and some chances to fix things. I'll even allow lay-on hands to solve the problem.

If I do this, I'll put together a note for each player, stating who they are, and who they think the others are, and go from there. I'll prolly have them believe that the Paladin is 'Linda the Leper' - a campfollower that no one wants to touch.

(The idea is inspired by Sagiro's story-hour, when the group was trapped in the city in a bottle, and forgot their old lives, and all worked in an inn, and that's all they knew for a while).

dravot said:

I haven't seen that thread since it was at about 160 horrors or so. Thanks for reminding me that it was there.

Click to expand...

You are very welcome. I believe that threads like that defines the Mournlands, not that silly chapter in Five Nations that allows, abliet restricted, healing. I like it dangerous and lethal in there: life has ended, hope failed, the bad ending happened. The End.

dravot said:

Their trip across the Mournlands consisted of the following encounters:

A carcass crab - which they avoided
A patrol of 30 warforged - which they avoided
A small village, which was missing the top half (everything above 3' exactly was missing) - which they avoided
Blood rain - which they avoided
A farm with the sounds of normal farm, but no people or animals present - just the sounds. They used the barn to avoid the blood rain. When farmer Jones's voice came in to milk the 'cows', they bugged out and left.

Click to expand...

Bwahahahaha! Your players are a little more intelligent than they sound. It's amazing how the smallest details freak people out. I mean, everything is there, you just don't see anything. How scary is that? I mean, without the sound. The sound of a farmer drives out a band of skilled adventurers! A farmer, even the phantom of one, can't hurt much... at least, one is not entirely sure.

dravot said:

Vyreth: this gives me an idea, very Mournlandy - They'll find themselves in a space where underwater life co-exists simultaneously with them. Think of it as an ethereal water plane. The Sunken will be there, and I'll do something along the lines of a touch attack on someone brings them into the ethereal water plane for 1d4 rounds - not long enough to drown anyone, but long enough to seriously inconvenience them. Standard non-corporeal rules will apply.

Hrm...I may need to refine this a bit.

Suggestions?

Click to expand...

When the Sunken initiate a grapple, the turn spent grappling doesn't count against the time required to go back. Tone the Sunken down to some extra-tough, fast healing zombies that come back to life when they fall apart, and they don't try to kill anyone, just keep'em with them on the etheral plane of water... Watch the heroes flail when Sunken simply dogpile on caught characters and then become more Sunken who wish to have more company...

dravot said:

I have one other idea that I want to try out, meant as more of a role-playing exercise and fun encounter without the risk of combat. Group needs to make a will save (I'm thinking something like DC 18 or so...it's meant to be hard to make at their level). Anyone who fails becomes possessed by a member of a band of Thrane soldiers. I'll have some pertinent details prepared about each soldier. What I need more than anything else is some form of simple mechanic to break the effect, something like taking damage or the like. Suggestions? Appropriate 3.5E spells will also work, but I want something else in case those avenues aren't available.

Click to expand...

Protection from Evil is always good. Healing damages the ghost without save. Among other possible solutions. But once a ghost establishes a hold on a character... even once... the ghost can thereafter try to possess the character when they're in the Mournlands, even if it is later exorcised... there is no way to get rid of the ghost without laying it to rest. Which is the entire point.